A Fridge for the Space Station

Preparing for the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2010, NASA is hurrying to make the International Space Station all sustainable, installing a "new regenerative environmental control and life support system will give the station the ability to recycle urine and the condensation that the crew breathes into the air into pure water that can be used for drinking or to cool the station’s systems."

But even more exciting for the astronauts is the first refrigerator for the astronauts' use. The AP reports:

The existing space station galley provides hot or warm water -- but not cold. The same with food -- hot or warm, but nothing cold. Fresh food like apples or onions that go up on Russian supply ships or NASA's shuttles has to be gobbled up quickly.

The lone refrigerator is restricted to science experiments. So the astronauts are quite excited about getting a second refrigerator with the new kitchenette. It will keep drinks cold and food fresh.

"It seems kind of trivial, but six months of lukewarm orange juice can kind of bum you out," said astronaut Sandra Magnus.